Sport Pilot In A Week?

As a 26-year-old living in New York City, there are few things I need less than a pilot's license. In November, however, we ran a cover story about the Federal Aviation Administration's new sport pilot initiative, which created a new tier of single-engine aircraft that require minimal training to fly. After passing ground school and the FAA Knowledge Test, sport pilots need only 20 hours of flight instruction--so with a little vacation time and cooperative cloud ceilings, you could knock that out in a week. On the seventh day, the theory goes, an FAA instructor tests you, straps in for a ride-along and certifies you on the spot.